HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Essence Gibbs recorded four hits while teammate Jessica Alaan drove in four runs Saturday afternoon in helping Bethune-Cookman Softball to a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) wins away to Alabama A&M at Bulldog Field. BCU won the opener 5-0, before returning to grab the nightcap win 10-8.
 
BCU 5, ALABAMA A&M 0
Halyne Gonzalez spun a gem in the circle, while Joslynn Davis and Brooklyn Scott each tallied two hits Saturday afternoon in helping Bethune-Cookman to a series-opening 5-0 victory over Alabama A&M at Bulldog Field in Huntsville, Alabama.
 
Bethune-Cookman (8-19, 6-1 SWAC) scored a run in each of the first three innings to give starting pitcher Halyne Gonzalez room to work in the circle.
 
Centerfielder Joslynn Davis opened the scoring in the top of the first when she crossed off the end of a Brooklyn Scott triple down the left field line. The Wildcats doubled the lead in the second inning as shortstop Briana Velazquez came in courtesy a wild pitch from Alabama A&M (4-14, 0-6 SWAC) starter Cris'Deona Beasley.
 
The Cats made it 3-0 in the top of the third with a Thais Uyema RBI single to right center that scored left fielder Scott, after the Ontario, California, freshman kicked off the inning with a single through the left side.
 
In the sixth, BCU added to the lead when Davis singled to begin the frame, later scoring following a wild pitch and a failed pickoff at third. The senior from Madera, California, scored for the second time in the game to advance the lead, 4-0.
 
Halyne Gonzalez carried a no-hit bid with her into the bottom of the sixth before Alabama A&M left fielder Iyanna Canada broke it up with a single through the left side past the glove of a diving Kallie Earlington at third.
 
The Cats tacked on an insurance run for the 5-0 final score in the seventh using Davis's third run of the day with the help of a Shanai Owens single shot back to the pitcher's circle.
 
AAMU was led offensively by four different batters with a hit – three coming in the final inning, including second baseman Tori Green and Canada with 1-for-2 outings, respectively.
 
BCU was paced by Davis's 2-for-4 effort at the dish and three runs. Meanwhile, Scott turned in a 2-for-4 performance with the bat, adding an RBI and a run scored of her own.
 
Gonzalez earned the win to up her record at 6-9 for the season as she worked the full seven innings, scattering four hits in the shutout victory, using seven strikeouts against just one walk. The loss went to the Bulldogs' Cris'Deona Beasley (3-5) as she went the distance for the hosts, giving up five runs (three earned) on nine hits, two walks and striking out three.
 
BCU 10, ALABAMA A&M 8
Essence Gibbs racked up three hits for the visiting Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman helping her side to a 10-8 SWAC series-clinching win over Alabama A&M in the second leg of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Field in Huntsville, Alabama.
 
Bethune-Cookman (9-19, 7-1 SWAC) and Head Coach Laura Watten handed the ball to junior right-hander and current SWAC Co-Pitcher of the Week in the circle for the second game.
 
The Wildcats scored two runs early in the top of the first after the first two batters reached safely in the form of Essence Gibbs on a walk and Joslynn Davis with a Bulldogs infield error. Gibbs, a junior right fielder from Cerritos, California, scored the first run on a passed ball, while Davis made it 2-0 in favor of the Maroon and Gold after a throwing error charged to AAMU catcher Imani Mathis.
 
Alabama A&M (4-15, 0-7 SWAC) answered in the bottom of the frame after leadoff hitter and centerfielder Dakota Daniel began the at-bat with a double, later coming around to score on an RBI double of her own by Katie Puckett.
 
BCU led 2-1 after an inning played.
 
The Wildcats widened the lead to 5-1 with three runs in the top of the second.
 
After shortstop Briana Velazquez drew a walk to begin the inning, the junior from San Pedro, California, made it 3-1 in favor of the visitors after Joslynn Davis singled down the line in left. Jessica Alaan's two-run scoring single right back up the middle trickled into the outfield far enough to plate Joyce Bloome and Davis.
 
BCU made it 7-1 in the top of the fourth as Alaan knocked in her third and fourth ruins of the game, this time with a single through the right side in order to cross Davis and Essence Gibbs, respectfully.
 
AAMU responded with a run in the home-half of the fourth to cut the BCU lead, 7-2.
 
Hickey's single through the right side of the infield plated Kaidence Swoopes, after the pinch runner took over duties for first baseman Puckett following her leadoff single earlier in the Bulldogs at-bat.
 
Velazquez scored to up the BCU lead 8-2 in the top of the fifth with the help of Joyce Bloome reaching on another error charged to the AAMU infield – one of five in the game for the hosts. The Cats plated two more runs in the seventh with a Ciera Clark RBI groundout to bring in Shanai Owens, and a Bloome RBI groundout to short that drove in Velazquez.
 
The Cats took a 10-2 lead into the home-half of the seventh.
 
The Bulldogs were able to score six runs – all coming with two outs, in the inning as they finally got to Bethune-Cookman relief pitcher Alyssa Lopez. Murray recorded an RBI single in the frame for AAMU, as well as a three-run scoring triple from Daniel. In the end, Badalament returned to the circle to get the final out for the Cats and preserve her win.
 
AAMU was paced at the plate by Puckett's perfect 4-for-4 showing with an RBI and one run scored. Daniel added two hits and three RBIs to go along with a run of her own.
 
BCU was led offensively by Gibbs' 3-for-4 effort with a pair of runs scored. Alaan had two hits in three trips to the dosh and four RBIs. And it was Thais Uyema registering a 2-for-4 afternoon as well.
 
The win went to Badalament, with the Plant City, Florida, product tossing five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts. In the win, she improved to 3-6 on the season for the Wildcats. The loss went to AAMU starter Sydney Hall (0-5) with seven innings in the circle, allowing 10 runs (four earned) on 11 hits, three walks and seven strikeouts.
 
The two teams return to Bulldog Field on Sunday for the series finale at 11 a.m. ET.
 
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